You can see in the link below Rudyard Kipling reciting his poem ”If”.
Born in Bombay-the British India in 1865 and laureate of the Nobel Prize in 1907, becoming a member of Freemasonry from early youth (1885)-being discovered by a Jew, and traveling a lot worldwide, this poem of his represents a masterpiece of his entire work, encouraging and strenghthening all the ones in need and temptation, showing us at the same time the qualities a real human being must have or develop.
Even if one can assume this creation is also a consequence of his tormented childhood, when he and his little sister were brought from India to Portsmouth-England, to remain for a period of time in care of a couple other than their real parents, or of his somehow military education,-the exposure style and line sound are outstanding and full of fine intelligence.
John, Kipling s only son, died very young, in 1915, in a battle of the World War I, and the great writer passed away in 1936, two days before king George V.
”If” became the Nations Favourite Poem in a BBC 1995 opinion poll, it has been a main encouragement and strength origin for the political prisoners and for all the ones unrighteously blamed in the entire world and personally I strongly believe the way it was created, the author s manner of judgement helped the writer substantially to resist the destiny of his own son.
The video in the link below-the one from You Tube is a virtual representation of a live show, however I assume that being given the circumstances and subject, this makes no difference for you and you will value even more the qualities, the perfection of this poem and that in the hardship you may be nowadays, you will start feeling better.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/